cobirds colorado rare bird

Wednesday, 28 October 2020

[cobirds] Red-necked Grebe, Adams County

Hi all,

I had a Red-necked Grebe this evening in Brighton (Adams County). Specifically, the bird was in this unnamed reservoir:

39.951870, -104.853188 which can be accessed by parking here:

39.943753, -104.852972

A little further north there were 3 Common Loons in "Cell No. 3" Reservoir.

Adam Vesely

Thornton, CO

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Re: [cobirds] "Small gull with M pattern"

Yet, the Cornell app "Merlin" uses the convenient descriptor "Small gull with distinctive bold "M" pattern on wings in flight, formed by black outer primaries, white inner flight feathers, and dark back," in its description of Sabine's Gull.

Chuck Hundertmark

Lafayette, CO

On Oct 28, 2020, at 3:50 PM, coloradodipper via Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com> wrote:

All:

The number of species of "small gulls with an M pattern" that are possible in Colorado is five: Ross's, Little, Bonaparte's, and Black-headed gulls and Black-legged Kittiwake. The "M pattern" refers to the "M" described by the dark primaries and the stripe of dark crossing the otherwise pale coverts to the wrist from the base of the wing.

Sabine's Gull does NOT have an "M pattern."

Sincerely,

Tony Leukering

currently Fairborn, OH

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[cobirds] "Small gull with M pattern"

All:

The number of species of "small gulls with an M pattern" that are possible in Colorado is five: Ross's, Little, Bonaparte's, and Black-headed gulls and Black-legged Kittiwake. The "M pattern" refers to the "M" described by the dark primaries and the stripe of dark crossing the otherwise pale coverts to the wrist from the base of the wing.

Sabine's Gull does NOT have an "M pattern."

Sincerely,

Tony Leukering

currently Fairborn, OH

Tuesday, 27 October 2020

[cobirds] Little Gull - Douglas County

Hello all,

I identified a Little Gull at Platte Canyon Reservoir (Douglas County) this morning at 945 AM. The gull was actively flying along the southern shore and not associating with any other gulls in the area. This spot has not historically been great at attracting much more than common birds, but its proximity to Chatfield may have forced the gull a bit further south as it was looking for food. If it cannot be found here, I would expect it to move back north to Chatfield.

Good birding,

Scott Manwaring

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[cobirds] Purple vs. Cassin's Finches

Birders,

I believe that Chris Petrizzo's finch is a Purple Finch.

I had the good fortune to photograph both Purple and Cassin's Finches on my feeder in Las Animas, Bent County, CO on 2/28/15. For a long time, I kept seeing one extralimital finch that I confidently identified as a Purple Finch, only to doubt myself when I saw one that looked more like a Cassin's. Finally, both cooperated and appeared at my feeder at the same time. I got to reclaim my sanity card.

The Purple Finch is on the left and the Cassin's finch is on the right. Note that the Purple Finch has a shorter bill with a decurved culmen, while the Cassin's Finch has a pointed, longer, conical beak. The ear coverts on the Purple Finch are uniformly dark, and outlined much more boldly by a pale border. I also think the Purple finch has a rounder head, looks stockier, and appears to have a shorter tail. The breast streaks are bolder and more defined in the Purple Finch. Out of sight in this picture are the undertail coverts, immaculately white in a Purple Finch, and finely streaked in a Cassin's Finch.

I hope this is useful to Colorado birders.

Duane Nelson

Las Animas, Bent County, CO

Re: [cobirds] Boulder Purple Finches

Thanks, everybody, for your input. Unanimous opinion on this one is Cassins. I'm just glad I was right in saying not a house finch! I was going to feel really silly otherwise. Lol. Thanks again!

On Tue, Oct 27, 2020 at 12:41 PM

On Oct 27, 2020, at 11:01 AM, Amy Roberts <amyroberts999@gmail.com> wrote:

I'm sort of hijacking your thread (sorry about that!!), but since you're talking about finches: I had this guy in my yard today, hanging with a flock of house finches. I'm not good enough at this yet to say what he is. I think not a house finch, but I'm not sure between purple and Cassins? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Amy Roberts
Ft. Collins
amyroberts999@gmail.com

On Oct 26, 2020, at 7:20 PM, Alan Bell <alan.bell@colorado.edu> wrote:

A female and 2 male Purple Finches came by our feeders north of Boulder this afternoon. The female was around for a while, so I was able to study it. It seemed somewhat in between the e and w varieties pictured in Sibley. Crest; bill not as sharply conical as a Cassins; whitish underparts with dark broad streaking; primary projection longish but not specially long; weak face pattern; narrow white rim under eye, rump light brown with some vague mottling. While I was working on such details, two males suddenly appeared for about half a minute, and didn't return.
Not a bad day--a Prairie Falcon zoomed by in the morning for a bonus.

Alan Bell, Boulder

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Re: [cobirds] Purple Finch - Broomfield

After review of many photos of both species using the Explore feature of eBird, I am on board with Purple Finch. The curved

culmen of the upper mandible, the deep chocolate brown of the plumage on the head and back with some white streaking on the back, as well as unmarked under tail coverts are all features of Purple Finch. Nice find!

Nick Komar

Fort Collins CO

On Oct 27, 2020, at 12:25 PM, willc...@gmail.com <willcbirds@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi All,

I think the streakyness is subjective, as I think Chris's photos show a more blurry set of streaks than I would expect on Cassin's Finch. I think the bill shape, being stubby and very thick, is different than I would expect on a Cassin's finch. The facial pattern seems to be stronger than your average Cassin's, and the ustreaked undertail coverts in this bird ties the ID together fairly nicely as a Purple Finch, in my opinion.

Thanks,

Will Anderson
Boulder

On Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 7:50:59 AM UTC-6 Nick Komar wrote:
Chris,

Separating Cassin's Finch females from Purple Finch female can be very tricky. I think the streaked throat and rump, pale eye ring and crisply streaked breast support an ID of Cassin's Finch. Did you hear it call? Call notes differ.

Nick Komar
Fort Collins.

On Oct 26, 2020, at 5:08 PM, 'Chris Petrizzo' via Colorado Birds <cob...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

A while back when I was getting serious about birding, I posted to this list that I'd found a flock of Purple Finches in Lyons; a few of you then introduced me to Cassin's Finches. :-) :-)

I promptly sent out a correction.

But now I have redemption, and today found what certainly seems to be an actual Purple Finch! And the behavior is just like some of you told me it would be - a single bird at someone's feeder.

Location and photos can be found on the eBird list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S75437331

Happy birding,
- Chris Petrizzo, Broomfield

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